My ''ruby'' from AJSGems.com

[vasamacil]

Well, I purchased a ''Ruby'' from AJSGems.com last week, the middle stone (#120) from this thread:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/help-me-choose-a-stone.32737/

First, the stone quality is very nice, great DEPTH of color, great brilliance/shine, completely clean.

However the COLOR of the stone leaves much to be desired. The stone is very purple, significantly purpler than the picture shown on their website (see linked thread). As pictured on their site, the stone appeared nicely red with a slight purple tint. In reality the stone is purple with a hint of red. In fact, it is the color I have seen other sites sell as Purple Sapphire NOT Ruby. And yes, I know they are the same material, but I believe that only Red-dominant stones are usually called Rubies.

Attached is a picture of the stone, first shot is in the delivered sleeve with a white/gray backing, second is on a white piece of paper. The stone is SLIGHTY lighter than in this picture, but the hue is just about perfectly shown.

I have put in a return request (10 day return policy), will post a follow-up in this thread after I receive their reply.


-Lelyn

 

[mogok]

Hello,

This problem is quite usual to my experience while buying on internet and that for many reasons:

First you look at a stone through a monitor screen, which setting are probably different from the monitor screen used in the selling office.
Second the light you used to look at the stone is probably different from the light used in the seller office to descibe the stone.

If the seller is in bangkok like AJS and ou are in the US even the natural light will be different and exept if you use a "north day light" for which there is less variation during the day, you can have some serious variations from morning to evening.

So if the stone was graded in Bangkok on the morning using a north day light and if you are looking the stone after receiving it at lunch time in New York, then there could be probably some variations.

Now these variations may be dont explain the color difference with the photo, but the difference between the settings of the 2 computers may be can explain your problem.

Nevertheless, there can of course also be some human mistake... It is also possible.

I did not wanted to interfere in this problem but I''ve witness this type of problem several time while studying grading systems especially using computers...

All the best,

 

[vasamacil]

Vincent-

Thanks for your response.

I am aware of differences in color on/between computer monitors, esp. the internet.

BECAUSE of this inherit color difference, any retailer who sells items dependant on color such as clothing, paints, furniture, and of course gems should ensure all photos are at the minimum consistent. With that in mind if you compare a range of stones on a website, you should, given the range of colors for the given gem, at least be able to see ''how close'' the pictures are to reality. Additionally, when some stones on the site have verbal descriptions of the color, this should help even further with determining the relative colors.

My problem is that apparently the pictures are either NOT standardized, or are manipulated.
Consider the following stones:

http://www.ajsgems.com/RUB/RUB-00121.htm - is described as "deep Pigeon Blood Red"
http://www.ajsgems.com/RUB/RUB-00041.htm - is described as "fully saturated medium blood red color"
http://www.ajsgems.com/RUB/RUB-00302.htm - is described as "medium warm blood Red Burma Ruby"

All these stones appear VERY close to the descriptions on my monitor.

This stone:
http://www.ajsgems.com/RUB/RUB-00055.htm
Is a VERY purple Ruby on my monitor, probably at the limit of what could be sold as a Ruby.

Now, given the above stones and others, I SHOULD have had a good estimate of the color of the stone I purchased.

However, my stone is actually closer to these colors:
http://www.ajsgems.com/RUB/RUB-00063.htm
http://www.ajsgems.com/RUB/RUB-00016.htm


Now, of course I have myself to blame also. I e-mailed AJSgems to ask for further descriptive clarification on the color of the stones I was looking at, but placed my order without having received a reply (I never did).

But I''ve never purchased anything off of Amazon, who I doubt bother with color-consistency, that was nearly as ''off'' as this.
And of course, the Ruby just happened to show as a more favorable/expensive color online than in reality?



Also -
I wanted to note that Ajsgems ALREADY replied to my request for a return, literally hours after I sent them an e-mail. I will still possibly purchase (not so color dependant/important/expensive) stones from them again, as so far their promptness in shipping, and now handling returns, has been superb.


-Lelyn

 

[Cave Keeper]

Date: 8/31/2005 11:44:44 PM
Author:vasamacil
:
Attached is a picture of the stone, first shot is in the delivered sleeve with a white/gray backing, second is on a white piece of paper. The stone is SLIGHTY lighter than in this picture, but the hue is just about perfectly shown.
:
-Lelyn

If the hues are as shown, my personal opinion is that both look much better than all the rubies that I''ve managed to get from a very, very well-known auction site.

But of course if the seller has a stated return policy under which you have the right to return the item, then you do have the right to exercise that right and such a store is most commendable if it really does follow its own stated policy.

Thank you for telling us about your experience and we''ll be most interested in knowing what will happen next to your purchase.

 

[valeria101]

For better or worse, all the links at AJS lead to pictures that look pretty darn red on all three monitors I''ve got aroun (home and office). Actually, same does the one you have posted to show how purple the thing is!

No way to understand what is this all about beyond your verbal escription... which spells it clear that ''ruby'' means something different for you.

I surely hope AJS would exchange the stone for one of the hue you preffer... if there is some way to communicate that. It is hard to ''talk color'' online either way

I am sorry this didn''t turn out right... of course.